Writer: David Pepose
Color Artist: Espen Grundetjern
Cover Artists: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Penciller: Carlos Magno
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Reviewer: Dr. Carl Bryan

“You know what your weakness is Ultron? You talk too damn much!” – Daredevil/Elektra Natchios

Synopsis:

The Endgame is now! Stranded in the unforgiving future, the Savage Avengers have survived every trial and tribulation that 2099 has to offer. But with Ultron now in possession of a time-traveling Doom Gauntlet, it appears the heroes can only hope to stop the Machine Empire from conquering all aspects of the time stream. It is an epic showdown of blood and steel as Marvel’s most dangerous heroes unite to save the world…or die trying. It is Deus Ex Machina!

Positives

David Pepose has the throttle down as he turns 2099 on its end with a combination of taking typical Avengers but adding an edgier situation and combinations of powers. He turns his 2099 incarnations into a “What If…” extravaganza!

Do you like Terminator? Then this is your book as Ultron is the machine that will eliminate all of humanity and then some. We don’t need Arnold in this book to save the day…or Sarah Connor… but we really should get a kick out of Weapon H…part Wolverine, part Hulk and all volatility. We need him in this Avengers reality of 2099

Positives #2

While other Avengers books provide us a lineup at the start of the issue, this creative team offers the green insets on the page that give us an instant synopsis of each character…in case we have forgotten. And let’s be accurate here, it is easy to do.

If you are a movie fan, you are all about Ant-Man. But chances are, you did not know who the Black Knight or Punisher 2099 are. No worries! Pick up an issue, enjoy the battle art, and the cool “Thoom” and “Krakow” sounds… and we are on our way to an art-filled violent storyline! Glad a Watcher is on point in this one, but I have to admit….oh wait. This is for the negative portion.

Negatives

Okay…call me old school. Let’s not go back to the half Spidey/half Peter faces where the lines are coming out, and he says “My spider sense is tingling”! Really….
But let’s cut down on the multiverses and the EARTH labeling…Earth 616…According to Marvel, there are 161 universes in Marvel, each with its own Earth. And that doesn’t include the MCU we watch on the silver screen which is Earth -199999.
So a LOT is going on, and there are a lot of timelines and heroes/villains that we need backstories on. No longer is the Avengers something that has a few core members. This concept is across time and space and multiverses. While that is attractive to writers who have Carte Blanche to do whatever they wish, keep in mind that the readers can too.

Final Thoughts

This adventure may have forged this Savage Avengers team into a mainstay. It is non-stop battle action, but we crave some character development. Hulk 616…Weapon H 2099…the combos are numerous!

7/10